Improvement in wardrobe-bedsteads



S.S. BURR. WARDROBE BEDSTEAD.

Patented June 5,1877.

Int/em.-

@ 's/Mug .ILPETF-Rs, PHOTO-LRNOGRAPHER, WA$NINGTON. D c.

nrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SANFORD S. BURR, OF DEDHAM, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN' WARDROBE-BEDSTEADS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 19 [,651, dated June 5, 1877 application filed April 21,1877.

To all whom it may concern.-

. Be it known that I, SANFORD S. BURR, of Dedham, Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding or Wardrobe Bedsteads, of which the following is a specification:

' My present invention is an improvement on that kind of folding bedstead described in my Letters Patent No. 179,513, dated July 4, 1876. In common with the bedstead there shown, I have a folding bed-frame combined with a longitudinally elastic or extensible and flexible suspension bed-bottom, which is under tension when the frame is unfolded, and off tension when the frame is folded. But I now combine this folding frame and suspension bed-bottom with an upright case, to which the folding frame is'hinged, the combination being such that in folding the bedstead the sectional bed-frame is first folded over onto itself, and is then turned up into the case, which receives both bed-frame and bed-bottom, as well as bed and bedding.

In my patented bedstead the suspended bedbottom, when folded, hung down like a sack or bag, its ends being at the top. In the pres ent case, however, the position or parts is reversed. The folding over of the jointed frame brings the two ends of the bed-bottom together, and then the turning up of the frame into the case brings these ends below or at the bottom of the case. In this position the bedbottom, unless the mattress be folded up with it, will fall in a heap to the bottom of the case, but in either case all the space within the case, except the small porti'on occupied by the bed-bottom, is available as a receptacle for the bed and bedding.

The nature of my invention, and the manner in which thesame is or may be carried into eflect, will be understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of the bedstead unfolded. Fig. 2 is a line view of the same folded. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the closed bedstead from front to rear.

A is the upright case. Toward the front of this case, and at a proper height above its base, is hung, on strong pivots, one of the sections, B, of a divided bed-frame, the outer section 0 of which is hinged to B, so that it will fold over thereon. In this bed-frame the flexible and longitudinally elastic bed-bottom D is suspended in the manner shown and described in my Letters Patent hereinbefore mentioned.

The bedbottom may be made of any suitable flexible or pliable material. It may be of woven or linked wire material. It should be longitudinally extensible or elastic, and may have this quality imparted to it either by reason of the elastic nature of its 'body, or, if this body be only flexible, then by means of horizontally or longitudinally extensible interposed coiled springs at one or both ends, which connect it with the cross-rails at the ends of the bed-frame. This latter arrangement is shown in the drawing. The bed-bottom is a suspension bottom, and depends for its support on its ends alone, for reasons which I have before stated, and which therefore need not be repeated here.

The bed-bottom is under tension when the bed-frame is unfolded, and this is made use of as a means to prevent the premature folding of the frame. To this end the knuckle or pivot a of each hinge which unites the two sections of the bed-frame is raised above the level of the plane in which the cross-rails. normally lie when the bed is fully unfolded. The result of this arrangement is that the line of draft or tension is below the fulcrum of the hinge; consequently the stretched bed-bottom tends to pull tightly together the abutting ends of the sections. This means of preventing the premature folding of the bed need not be exclusively relied on.

Devices of any suitable kind may be employed to lock the sections in their unfolded position, whether the hinge here shown or any other kind or arrangement of hinge be used.

The arrangement of parts above described possesses the advantage over my patented arrangement of leaving the upper part of the case unobstructed and free to be used for drawers, or any other purpose. This feature is shown in the drawing. The bed-bottom when folded does not, at the top, come up so high as the upper ends of the side rails of the hinged sections; consequently a space is left in the top of the case between the rails, which I utilize by providing the case at that point with drawers 0. The case is in this instance cut away in front, and the drawers are in the rear part, which projects above the sh elf d that is formed when the bed-frame is turned up into the case. This shelf d is hinged or otherwise movable, so that it can be raised or removed to permit access to be had to the interior of the case.

The space at the top of the case between the section-rails instead of being used for drawers can be used for any other purpose.

The bed-frame, &c., in lieu of unfolding from the front of the case, may untold from the rear, in which event the front of the case can be used for a writing-desk or for any other purpose. The case may also be of any desired construction, and, if desired, can be mounted on casters.

The outer section 0 of the bed-frame has hinged legs f, which, whenever the bed-frame is unfolded, are extended and serve to support the foot of the bed.

- is turned up into the case, are carried to the lower part of the case, and the upper part of the case between the side rails of the frame is left unobstructed by the bed-bottom.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SANFORD S. BURR.

Witnesses:

FRED. F. DAGG-ETT. E. B. MORSE. 

